Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has sharply escalated his attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding that he step down and turn approver in what Gandhi describes as a crisis of credibility inside the Election Commission. His remarks came in response to an Indian Express investigation that reported disagreements within the three-member poll panel.

Gandhi has linked the controversy to his repeated charge of vote chori, arguing that elections are being rigged. Pointing to Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, he has questioned how anti-incumbency against the BJP appeared to disappear in states where the opposition expected gains. According to Gandhi, the reported rift inside the Commission raises serious questions about the fairness of the electoral process.

BJP rejects the allegations

The BJP has firmly rejected Gandhi’s claims. Party leaders have said that decisions of the Election Commission are taken unanimously and have questioned the basis of the report on internal differences. The party has accused the Congress of trying to cast doubt on constitutional institutions for political gain.

The poll panel itself has maintained that its functioning is collective and that its decisions reflect the consensus of all three commissioners.

Pressure builds from activists

The controversy has also drawn in civil society voices. Citizens for Justice and Peace issued an ultimatum asking the Chief Election Commissioner to resign within 48 hours or face a Jantar Mantar 2.0 protest. The group accused the CEC of undermining voter rights and launched an Election Commission Thik Karo campaign.

With the opposition and the ruling party trading charges, the row over the poll panel’s functioning shows no sign of cooling. Gandhi has made it clear that he wants accountability at the very top, and the coming days are likely to see the Election Commission’s internal processes come under even sharper public scrutiny.